Musical instrument



. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ln a/ycm I INVENTOE ATTORNEY Sept. 21 1926. 1,600,901

H. c. MARX MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES HENRY C. MARX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed December 20, 1924. Serial No. 757,263.

This invention relates to a musical instrument and more particularly to an at tachment for stringed instruments and has for its primary object the construction of an attachment that will so act upon the strings as to give a mandolin eflect.

An object of the invention is the construction of mechanism that will strike the string then prolong the vibratory action to lo give a tremolo effect.

Another object of the invention is the novel manner of mounting and associating the keys with the hammers so thatthe hammer maybe forcibly brought into engagement with the string and then further movement given to the key and hammer to shorten the distance between the hammer head and the stringed instrument to accelerate and prolong the vibratory action of the hammer head upon the string.

Another object of the invention is to accomplish the foregoing action in such a manner that sensitiveness of touch of the player or accuracy is dispensed with.

Besides the above my invention is distinguished in the novel arrangement of a plurality of stops with relation to the pivoted keys so that the key can be quickly thrown a predetermined distance to correspond to the first striking action of the string and then giving a final movement to the key to prolong and increase the vibratory action of the hammer.

With these and other objects in view the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a portion of the musical instrument constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view shc Wing the parts in their normal position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the position of the parts when the hammer first strikes the key.

. Fi 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the fieshy portion of the finger continuing the movement of the key to prolong the vibratory action of the hammer.

Fig. 6 is a detailed cross sectional view of one of the keys and its associated stops,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of; a key and its associated stops.

Again referring to the drawings illustratiug. one of the many constructions of my invention, numeral 1 designates any wellknown form of stringed instrument, such as a zither. My attachment comprises a frame 2 secured to the instrument in any suitable manner and provided with a top strip 4 that is formedat equal distance with a plurality of slots 5 providing stops 6, a rod 7 extends across the slots for engaging with the wall of the recess 8 in the keys 9. It will be noted that the keys alternate with the stops so there are two stops on opposite sides of each key. The hammer 10 comprises a head 11 and a spring strip 12 that has one end connected to' the hammer and the other end fixed in the frame as indicated at 13. The resiliency of the strips holds the hammer elevated with the strips in engagement with the key so that in the pressing of the key the strip will be forced downward to bring the head into engagement with the string.

One of the most important features of my invention is the giving of proper move ments to the hammer through the key to bring about the proper vibratory action of the string. By referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 it will be noted that the hammer may be .t'orcibly thrown downwardly for immediate engagement with the string as shown in in Fig. 4 and at the same time engagement of the finger with the stops will prevent further movement of the entire finger but will allow the fleshy portion of the finger to continue moving into the slots for depressing the key slightly below the surface of the stops for shortening the distance between the head and the string a required distance to accelerate and prolong the vibratory action of the head against the stringthereby cffectively creating a mandolin effect. Par- .ticular atention is called to the fact that the keys and resilient strips of the hammers are 1ndependently mounted and the stops are so aranged as to restrict the movement of the fingers to two series of actions upon the keys. It will also be noted that the construction and association of parts is such that it is not necessary that the player have very sensitive touch or movement of the fingers be accurately controlled.

Of course, it will be understood that the frame, arrangement of stops and the construction and mounting of the keys and hammer may be changed in various ways than illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do lit) not desire to be limited in any manner except as set forth in the claims hereunto appended. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

I. In a stringed instrument, resilient supporting members secured at one end to the instrument, striking members at the other end of the supporting members, and means for initially limiting downward movement of the supporting members, said means permitting movement of the supporting memhers beyond the point at which such movement is initially arrested to permit of prolongation of the note.

In a stringed instrument, "resilientsupporting memberssecured at one end to the instrument, striking members at the other end of the supporting members, and stops adjacent the supporting members and disposed to initially limit downward movement thereof, the stops permitting movement of the supporting members beyond the point at which such movement is initially arrested to permit of prolongation of the note.

Ina stringed instrument, resilient supporting members secured at one end to the instrument, striking members at the other end of the supporting members, and stops at opposite sides of each of the supporting members disposed to arrest downward movement of the players finger initially while permitting movement of the fleshy part of the finger downwardly between the stops upon the-application of increased ,pressure whereby the note produced may be prolonged.

a. In a stringed instrument, resilient supporting meinbers secured at one end to the instrument and having unobstructed downward movement, and means for initially limiting the downward movement "of the players finger in the act of depressing the supporting member, said means permitting movement of the finger beyond the point at which movement of the finger is initially arrested whereby the note produced can be prolonged.

5. In a stringed instrument, resilient supporting members secured at one end to the instrument and having unobstructed downward movement, and stops tit-opposite sides of the supporting members disposed to initially limit the downward movement of the players fingers while permitting movement of the fleshy part of the finger downwardly between the stops upon'a-pplication of increased pressure whereby thenoteprodueed can be prolonged.

6. In a stringed instrument, spaced stops, and resilient -supportinginembers secured at their outer ends to the instrument andhaving unobstructed downwardmovement toward the instrument, said supporting meming members at the inner ends thereof.

8. In a stringed instrument, a frame secured to the instrument, a strip carried by the frame and projecting inwardly above the instrument, said strip having a plurality=ofslots extending from its inner edge, resilient supporting members secured at their outer ends to tl1e frame,and operating through the slots, said members normally extending through said slots at an inclination upwardly and inwardly of the instrument, and striking members carried by the supporting members at the inner ends thereof.

9. In a stringed instrument, a frame socured to the instrument, a strip carried by the frame and projecting inwardly above the instrument, said strip havng a plurality of slots extending from its inner edge, resilient supporting memberssecured at their outer ends to the frame, and operating through the slots, said members normally extending through said slots at an inclination upwardly and inwardly of the instrument, key members operating through the slots and pivotally mounted at their outer ends for -movement aboutaxes disposed transversely of the slots, said key members being in contact with and free from the resihent supporting members, and striking members carried by the supporting members at the inner ends thereof.

10. In a stringed instrument, a frame secured to the instrument, a strip carried by the frame, and projecting inwardly above theinstrument, said strip having a plurality of slots extending from its inner edge, re-

silient supporting members secured at their outer ends to the frame, and operating through the slots, said members normally extending through said slots at an inclination upwardly and inwardly of the instrument, a rod adjacent the under face of the strip and extending across said slots adjacent the outer ends thereof, key members operating in the slots and provded in their upper faees'wit'h grooves receiving said rod,

said key members being held in operative relation to the rod by theresilient supporting members and being-movable about the rod as a pivot, and strikmg members carried by the supporting members a t the inner ends thereof.

11. Inan attachment for stringed instruy above the same, said strip being ments, a frame adapted for securement to an instrument and having a strip projecting inwardly beyond the frame and provided with a plurality of slots extending from its inner edge, a rod adjacent the under face of the strip and extending across the slots adjacent the inner ends thereof, keys operating in the slots and having grooves in their upper fares receiving the rod, resilient 10 supporting members operating through the with and unsecured to said supporting 15 members, and striking members carried by the supportnig members at their lnner ends.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY C. MARX. 

